Effectiveness of interference filter for photoluminescence observations: comparison with absorption filters

Currently, most photoluminescence reagents used in forensic science have short stokes shift, making it difficult to observe strong photoluminescence due to scattering light from forensic light sources when using filters that are not shieldable. However interference filters can be observed near monochromatic light, making them a better alternative to absorption filters. To verify practical applicability of interference filters, interference filters and three other types of previously frequently used absorption filters were observed using a variety of light source products, and transmission light was cross-compared. Interference filters have a lower slope value than absorption filters, and selectively show only the photoluminescence of reagents, regardless of the type of product from the forensic light source. In addition, tilting the angle of the filter surface for observation lowered the λ_cut-on, which could replace various types of absorption filters with a single interference filter.